HBO is delivering a magical Christmas present this year, with the arrival of the long-awaited live-action Harry Potter series. HBO’s adaptation of all seven novels will be led by Dominic McLaughlin, the Chosen One picked to step into the shoes of Daniel Radcliffe, and features a host of hugely famous faces. Despite constant controversy surrounding franchise creator J.K. Rowling, the hype is clearly through the roof for the series’ arrival, made clear when the release of a trailer earned 277 million organic views in just 48 hours, a record for HBO.
To get in the mood for a return to the Wizarding World, Potterheads have been diving into the filmographies of the many great stars given their start in the film series. At the start of the month, Radcliffe’s bonkers A24 release, Swiss Army Man, found itself a free streaming home, giving fans a chance to catch one of his best performances post-Potter. Now, fans are flocking to watch the best performance from the man who portrayed Potter’s cousin and the cause of many of his young headaches, Dudley.
The film in question is Harry Melling‘s Pillion, an R-rated dark dramedy released in 2025 that received huge acclaim from both audiences and critics. Made for just $1 million — still remarkably a bigger budget than the horror hit Obsession — Pillion stars Melling and The Northman‘s Alexander Skarsgård as an unlikely couple who begin a whirlwind BDSM relationship, with Melling’s timid Colin being swept off his feet by the enigmatic Ray. Recently, the movie made its debut on HBO Max and has become an instant hit. At the time of writing, Pillion is one of the ten most-streamed movies on HBO Max in the U.S., a list topped by the viral medical thriller Contagion.
Collider Exclusive · The Sorting Hat Awaits Which Hogwarts House Are You? Gryffindor · Slytherin · Hufflepuff · Ravenclaw
Four houses. One destiny. The Sorting Hat has considered thousands of students — now it’s your turn. Answer honestly and discover where you truly belong at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
Gryffindor
Slytherin
Hufflepuff
Ravenclaw
01
What quality do you value most in yourself? Answer as honestly as you can — the Hat always knows.
02
A friend is being treated unfairly. What do you do? How you protect others says everything about who you are.
03
What does success look like to you? What you’re working toward defines who you’re becoming.
04
What is your greatest fear? Fear is the most honest thing about a person.
05
The rules say no. Your gut says go. What do you do? Every institution has rules. What you do with them is a choice.
06
What kind of friend are you? Who you are to the people you love is who you really are.
07
You look into the Mirror of Erised. What do you see? The mirror shows the deepest desire of your heart.
08
The Sorting Hat pauses. It whispers: “You could do well in any house. But what matters most to you — truly?” This is your tiebreaker. The Hat always listens.
The Sorting Hat Speaks Your House Has Been Chosen
After careful deliberation, the Sorting Hat has made its decision. This is the house your values, your instincts, and your particular way of being in the world were made for.
Gryffindor Tower · Scarlet & Gold
Gryffindor
You have nerve. Not the reckless kind, but the deep, quiet courage that shows up even when you’re terrified — especially then.
Gryffindors don’t act because they’re fearless — they act because they understand that some things are worth being afraid for.
You stand up for people when it would be easier to look away.
You charge toward what’s right even when the odds are terrible.
Harry, Hermione, Ron — the heroes of Hogwarts’s greatest chapter — all called the tower with the scarlet and gold home. And now, so do you.
Slytherin Dungeon · Emerald & Silver
Slytherin
You are driven, sharp, and utterly clear-eyed about what you want and how to get there.
Slytherin has long been misunderstood — painted as the house of villains when it is, at its best, the house of those who refuse to accept limits placed on them by others.
You are resourceful, strategic, and you play the long game.
You know your worth. You protect your own fiercely.
The dungeon common room with its view of the Black Lake is yours — and the ambitions that will take you further than anyone expects are yours too.
Hufflepuff Basement · Yellow & Black
Hufflepuff
You are the kind of person that makes the world genuinely better just by being in it.
Hufflepuff is not the “safe” house or the “leftover” house — it is the house of those with the greatest heart and the most unwavering integrity.
You show up. You work hard. You don’t need glory or recognition — you do what’s right because it’s right.
Your loyalty never wavers, even when tested.
Nymphadora Tonks, Cedric Diggory, Newt Scamander — some of the wizarding world’s finest. And now you join them.
Ravenclaw Tower · Blue & Bronze
Ravenclaw
Your mind is your greatest gift, and you’ve always known it.
Ravenclaws are the thinkers, the questioners, the ones who find a puzzle irresistible and a good book better company than most people.
Ravenclaw is not merely about intelligence — it’s about the love of learning, the pursuit of truth, and the rare courage to admit you don’t know something yet.
You see the world with unusual clarity and depth.
Luna Lovegood, Filius Flitwick, Rowena Ravenclaw herself — all extraordinary, all original. And so are you.
What Did Critics Say About ‘Pillion’?
A winner of the Un Certain Regard’s Best Screenplay prize at the Cannes Film Festival, Pillion proved a favorite of critics as soon as it premiered. The film combines “a compelling coming-of-age story, an endearing comedy, and a sex-positive odd romance into one of the best films of the year,” wrote Emma Kiely in Collider’s review, with other critics agreeing and awarding an average score of 99% on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes.
Pillion is streaming now on HBO Max. Make sure to stay tuned to Collider for the latest streaming stories.
